Electric-motor railway-truck



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

J. A. 8; G. M. BRILL. ELECTRIC MOTOR RAILWAY TRUCK.

No. 571,825. Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

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JOHN A. BRILL AND GEORGE M. BRILL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC-MOTOR RAILWAY-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,825, dated November 24, 1896.

Original application filed June 25, 1888, Serial No- 278,160. Divided and application filed March 25, 1890, $erial No. 346,189. Again divided and this application filed September 16, 1896 Serial No. 605,976. (No model.)

T at whmn it WLCI/y concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN A. BRILL and GEORGE M. BRILL, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, andState of Pennsylvania,have

invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Motor Railway-'lrucks, of which the following is a specification.

This application relates to matter shown,

but not claimed, in Patent-No. 425,653, dated April 15, 1890, application for which was filed June 25, 1888, Serial No. 278,160, and is a division of application No. 345,189, filed by us March 25, 1890, which latter is a division of the application upon which said patent was granted.

This invention has relation to railway-car trucks having an electric equipment of the form wherein the motor at one end is sleeved 0r hinged to one of the truck-axles, and its other or free end is supported so as not to be subject to the action of the system of springs supporting the car-body or truck-frame.

Only so much of the matter shown and described in the above patent as affects the present invention will be described herein, cross-reference being made to the above patentforthe matters shown and claimed therein.

This invention has for its primary object to so mount the free end of an electric motor upon a frame joining the axle-boxes of the truck that the axles may have their usual independent movements in curving and canting, that the motor may conform to or move 00- incidently with such independent movements of the axles upon which itis sleeved and with which it is in gear, that the oscillation of the free end of the motor due to the hammering of the wheels on the rail and to the stopping and starting of the motor is reduced to a minimum, and. that the free end of the motor is cushioned against the reverse strains or thrust-s incident to stopping and starting the motor, whereby an easy and smooth riding car-body and truck is secured which is free from the working strains or thrust of the motor, the full available efficiency of the motor is utilized for propelling the car instead of being partly consumed unnecessarily in overcoming frictional or other resistance due to hard or uneven riding of the truck and to faulty or improper mounting of the motor on the truck-or running-gear, and that a car or truck with a long wheel-base can be used for short or sharp curves.

This invention accordingly consists of the particular combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts, as more particularly described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a truck embod yin g ourimprovements,showing the truck separated from the car-body and having the post form of axle-box supports or pedestal, the axle-boxes being provided with lugs or brackets, to which are secured the motor, brake-shoe, track-brush, and lifeguard-supporting fraine,otherwise termed the axle-box frame. Fig. 2 is a plan of the truck without the motor. Fig. 3 is asectional elevation, drawn to an enlarged scale, of one of the axles and wheels, part of the axle-box frame, and electrical motor, showing the latter supported at one end on an axle and having a yielding or spring-supported connection at its other or free end with the frame on the axle-boxes.

A, Fig. 2, represents the car-bodydiagrammati'cally, which may be of any suitable type. As shown, it is provided with overhanging ends or platforms.

B is a truck-fralne of any preferred or desirable construction supporting a spring systern for upholding the car-body. Said truck, as shown, may consist of a main or upper rectangular top frame I), having openings for bolts when said frame is to be rigidly secured to the car-body between its ends, so as to be removable therefrom for purposes fully set forth in said before-stated patent.

0 represents an axle-box frame, so called,

' by reason of its being separate from or independent of the truck-frame l3, and is supported upon, attached to, or otherwise derives its support from the axle-boxes D of the truck in any suitable manner, so as to secure said boxes together and not interfere with the usual independent movements of the axles andwheels necessary for smooth and easy riding of the truck or running-gear. The frame is shown provided with end crossbars or fenders a (but these are not essential) and with intermediate cross bar or bars (1, which connect the side bars (Z (Z to form said frame C, which latter may be affixed to the axle-boxes in any desired manner.

The side bars 66 (I may be single bars or parallel bars, separated from each other,with their thin edges turned up, as shown at cl" d in Figs. 5 and (3 of said patent, in order to provide side bars of light weight but of a strong and unyielding construction for supporting the motor, as hereinafter explained.

lhe side bars (I (6 of frame C, as shown in Fig. 1, can be rigidly secured to the axleboxes, as shown in dotted lines, which boxes are provided with seats 0 for the car-springs c, extending between said seats and a subsill of the truck-fral'ne B or the car-body for spring-supporting the car-body A, the spring belts or posts Z) being connected by suitable braces IF, if desired.

The subjeet-matterof the present application will now be described. I

E represents an electric motor of the usual or preferred construction located between opposite axles of the truck, having one end, e, sleeved, hung, or otherwise suitably mounted upon the driving-axle f, (seen more plainly in Fig. 3,) and its other or free end, 6, is provided with a mechanical connection G, upheld by the axle-box frame 0 or its intermediate cross-bar cl.

The connection G, as shown, consists of a rod, bolt, or support g, having an engagement at g with the cross-bar d, which, as shown, is in line with or crosses the longitudinal center of the motor or the correspond ing center line of the car to provide a cen tral support for the free end of the motor. This bar or support g, as shown, passes loosely through an opening in the end c of the motorframe or a nose or extension 6 from the same, and has a top nut g and cap 9 between which and the extension 6 and between the latter and the cross-bar d and surrounding the bar g are two oppositely-acting cushions or springs 9 B y the phrase two op positely-actin g cushions or springs is meant two cushions or springs one of which is subject to the downthrust and the other to the upthrust of the free end of the motor, and when one is being compressed by reason of a thrust the other is expanded to fill a space equal to the distance that the cushion receiving the thrust has been compressed. By such construction the return movement of the free end of the motor after a thrust is resisted by a cushion or spring of equal or substantially the same resistance as the cushion that has been compressed, which then begins to expand and again fills the space it formerly occupied before the thrust. I

By the use of the nut and cap g the desired amount of compression of both of the springs can be obtained.

By the foregoing construction an easy-rich ing double-action spring-support for the free end of the motor is provided.

It will be seen from the connection G that any tendency of the free end of the motor to vibrate, as would be the case if only one cushion be used, is counteracted by the cushion or springs which act against each other to re store the movable parts to a state of rest, and that the vibration of the free end of the motor is not augmented nor sensibly influenced by the movements of the car or its springs, whereas, on the other hand, were the free end. of the motor supported from the car-bod y or some movable portion of the truck or the mo tor, the motor would be under the influence of the movements of the car on its springs, &c., which is very undesirable.

The motor-armature or driven shaft 6 is suitably mounted in the motor-frame 0, parallel to axle f, and has suitable gear connections with said axle, as shown in Fig. 1, dotted lines, or as desired.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the car-body A is spring supported upon the truck-frame B, (which includes the springseats 0;) that the motor is located between opposite axles of the truck; that one end of the motor is mounted upon the driven axle f and the other end is upheld by a yielding connec tion from the axle-box frame 0, which is independent of the truck or car-body spring-supporting frame or system, supporting the motor bodily between these two points and apportioning its weight between them, and that the frame 0 does not join the axles, but the axle boxes; further, thatas the motor is sleeved at one end, 6, upon a driven axle f and its driving or armature shaft (2 has gear connection with the axle f both shaft 6" and axle fare maintained in parallelism, and they as well as other parts of the motor move coincidently when the axle makes its independent movements in curving or canting, and all strain or friction between the gearing on said axle and shaft is avoided; that as the free end 6 of the motor or the extension 6 therefrom has a verticallymovable mechanical connection G with the frame 0 and as said bar g passes loosely through the opening in extension for vertical vibration the motor is free to coincidently move with the axle f as it curves or cants with but little, if any, strain or friction between the motor and its free end connection G, and any swaying or other movements of frame C independent of the axle-boxes are made with but little, if any, strain on the free end of the motor or its support G, the bar g being strong enough to keep them moving in unison; that as the free end of the motor or its extension c is cushioned by the oppositely-acting springs ITO y the strains, thrusts, or shocks incident to the stopping and starting of the motor are compensated for or absorbed by said springs, which also take up or compensate for the strains or jars incident to the hammering of the wheels on the rails and relieve the motor of the same; that as the free end of the motor is located at a distance from the driven axle or the fulcrum of the motor-support and is cushioned by the oppositely-acting springs the extent of bodily oscillation of the motor at its free end under all conditions of service is reduced to a minimum and less powerful or strength of springs are required to cushion said free end than would be required were the motor supported centrally on the axle, in which case the overhanging port-ion of the motor adds to the force of the vibration, preserving its tendency to vibrate and givingits support greater labor; the motor is more effective and keeps in position below the top of the truck-frame or out of the way of the car-body, so that its height from the tracks may remain at the standard or be reduced as desired, and a portion of the weight of the motor is taken from the axle and assumed by the free end support instead of placing the entire weight on the axle, as in the centrallysupported class; that as the frame 0 and the motor are independent of the truck-frame or spring-supportingsystem for the car-body the latter are not subject to the working strains of the motor, nor is the motor subject to the movement of such car-body or truck-frame, anda smooth and easy riding car-body is secured.

life do not herein claim the combination of a truck-frame adapted to sustain a car-body, a secondary frame included in the truckframe, both said truck and secondaryframes being subject to the action of the car-springs, and a motor or motors sustained at one end upon the truck axle or axles independent of the car-springs, and. yielding connections between the free end of the motor or motors and the car-spring or body influenced secondary frame; nor do we herein claim the combination of a frame joining the axles of a truck and mounted thereon independent of the springs supporting the car body with an electric motor having at one end a bearing upon the axle independent of the frame and a connection to the frame upholding the free end of the motor; nor the combination of a frame joining the axles of a truck and mounted thereon independent of the springs supporting the carbody with an electric motor having at one end a bearing upon the axle independent of the frame and a spring connection to the frame upholding the free end of the motor, as these broad statements form the subject-matter of another pending application of John A. Brill, filed October 12, 1887, Serial No. 252,1et5. Nor do we limit ourselves to any particular form of construction for the axle-box frame disassociated from the n1otorsupport, nor the. means of suspending said frame from the axle-boxes, as it is apparent that our invention can be modified in this regard without departing from the spirit of our invention. 7

Having described our invention we claim 1. In a motor-truck, the combination with the axle-box frame, of a motor sleeved at one end on one of the truck-axles, a crossbar extending between the side bars of said frame, and a connection for the free end of the motor comprising a plurality of oppositely-acting springs, and a vertical guide fixed to the cross bar, about which guide said springs are disposed, and between which springs said free end is interposed, substantially as described.

2, In a motor-truck, the combination of axles and the frame hung therefrom, said frame having a cross-bar, with a motor sleeved at one end on one of said axles, abar affixed to and rising above said cross-bar, independent springs guided by said bar, the free end of the motor being located between said springs and guided by said upright bar, the springs being arranged to act in opposite directions above and below the free end of the motor, substantially as described.

3. In a motortruck, the combination with the axle-box frame, of a motor sleeved at one end on one of the truck-axles, a cross-bar ex tending between the side bars of said frame, and a connection for the free end of the motor comprising a plurality of oppositely-acting springs and a restraining guide for said springs and free end consisting of an upright bar immovably secured to said cross-bar, substantially as described.

4. In a motor-truck, the combination of axles and the frame hung therefrom, said frame having a cross-bar between its ends, with a motor swiveled on one of its axles, an upright bar carried by said cross-bar, a spring surrounding said upright bar and resting on said cross-bar, the motor resting at its free end upon said spring, another spring surrounding said upright bar and surmounting said free end, and means on said upright bar for restraining the upward movement of said last-mentioned sprin 5. In a truck, axles, and a frame hung therefrom, said frame having a cross-bar, with a motor swiveled at one end on one of said axles, an upright bar located on said cross-bar, a spring supported by said crossbar and supporting the free end of said motor, said spring surrounding said upright bar, another spring above said motor and surrounding said upright bar, and means on said upright bar for compressing said springs, substantially as described.

6. In a motor-truck, the combination with the axles of the axle-box frame hung from the axles independent of the movement of the superposed car, the cross-bar uniting the side bars of said frame, a bar extending above said crossbar, a motor movably supported on ICC) one of the trucleaxles, its free end engaging said upright bar, springs above and below said free end and surrounding said bar, and plates and screw-nuts on said bar for compressing said springs, substantially as described. I

7. In a motor-truck, the combination With the axles, of an independent frame hung from the axles, a motor sleeved at one end to one end of the axles, a cross-bar included in said frame, oppositely-acting springs above and below the free end of the motor, said springs resting on said cross-bar, substantially as described.

8. In a motor-truck, the combination with the axles, of an independent frame hung from the axles, a cross-bar included insaid frame, a motor sleeved at one end to one of the axles, springs adapted to actconjointly and in upposite directions directly engaging the free end of the motor and disposed above and below said free end, said springs being sup ported from said cross-bar, substantially as described.

9. In a motor-truck, the combination with the axles, of the frame hung from the axles, a cross-bar included in said frame, an up right bar on said cross-bar, a motor sleeved at one end to one of said axles, a projection on the free end of the motor engaging the said upright bar, springs above the said bar engaging said projection, the engaging portion .of said projection and bar permitting vertical pla between them, substantially as described.

10. Ina motor-truck, the combination with the axles, of the axle-box. frame, the upright bar, oppositely-acting springs about the upright bar, the motor sleeved on one of the axles, its free end having a lug or projection and an opening therein through which said bar passes, the springs being disposed above and below said lug, and nuts on the upright bar for compressing the springs, substantially as described.

Signed at the city and county of PhiladeL phia, State of Pennsylvania, this 26th day of August, 1896.

JOHN .A. BRILL. GEORGE M. BRILL.

Witnesses:

R. S. REED, JOSEPH L. LEVY. 

